Dynamic selection of a receive antenna pattern

Abstract

An access point that performs dynamic selection of an electronic-device-specific receive antenna pattern of an antenna for use when receiving a frame from an electronic device in a WLAN is described. In particular, during operation the access point may determine the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving the frame from the electronic device. Then, the access point may store, in memory, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern. Moreover, when the access point predicts that the electronic device will transmit a frame to the access point within a subsequent time interval, the access point may select the receive antenna pattern and may set an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern. Next, the access point may receive the frame from the electronic device using the receive antenna pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 an antenna node configured to couple to an antenna; and   an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna node, configured to wirelessly communicate with at least a second electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the electronic device is configured to dynamically select a receive antenna pattern of the antenna by performing operations comprising:
 determining the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving a first frame associated with the second electronic device, wherein the receive antenna pattern is electronic-device specific and has increased directionality relative to an omnidirectional antenna pattern; 
 storing, in memory in the electronic device, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern; and 
 when the electronic device predicts, based at least in part on a type of control frame which is received after the receive antenna pattern is determined, that the second electronic device will transmit a second frame to the electronic device within a subsequent time interval:
 selecting the receive antenna pattern and setting an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern; and 
 receiving the second frame associated with the second electronic device using the receive antenna pattern, wherein the second frame is different from the type of control frame. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the type of control frame is different from a request-to-send (RTS) frame. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the type of control frame is compatible with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 communication protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the type of control frame comprises a trigger frame. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission by the second electronic device is predicted based at least in part on the electronic device:
 receiving request-to-send (RTS) frame associated with the second electronic device; and   transmitting, in response to receiving the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame for the second electronic device.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise reverting to the omnidirectional antenna pattern when a time reserved by the trigger frame expires. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises an access point. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the electronic device, causes the electronic device to dynamically select a receive antenna pattern of an antenna in the electronic device by performing operations comprising:
 determining the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving a first frame associated with a second electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the receive antenna pattern is electronic-device specific and has increased directionality relative to an omnidirectional antenna pattern;   storing, in memory in the electronic device, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern; and   when the electronic device predicts, based at least in part on a type of a control frame which is received after the receive antenna pattern is determined, that the second electronic device will transmit a second frame to the electronic device within a subsequent time interval:
 selecting the receive antenna pattern and setting an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern; and 
 receiving the second frame associated with the second electronic device using the receive antenna pattern, wherein the second frame is different from the type of control frame. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the type of control frame is different from a request-to-send (RTS) frame. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the type of control frame is compatible with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 communication protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the type of control frame comprises a trigger frame. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the transmission by the second electronic device is predicted based at least in part on the electronic device:
 receiving request-to-send (RTS) frame associated with the second electronic device; and   transmitting, in response to receiving the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame for the second electronic device.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the operations comprise reverting to the omnidirectional antenna pattern when a time reserved by the trigger frame expires. 
     
     
         14 . A method for dynamically selecting a receive antenna pattern of an antenna in an electronic device, comprising:
 by the electronic device:
 determining the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving a first frame associated with a second electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the receive antenna pattern is electronic-device specific and has increased directionality relative to an omnidirectional antenna pattern; 
 storing, in memory in the electronic device, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern; and 
 when the electronic device predicts, based at least in part on a type of a control frame which is received after the receive antenna pattern is determined, that the second electronic device will transmit a second frame to the electronic device within a subsequent time interval:
 selecting the receive antenna pattern and setting an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern; and 
 receiving the second frame associated with the second electronic device using the receive antenna pattern, wherein the second frame is different from the type of control frame. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the type of control frame is different from a request-to-send (RTS) frame. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the type of control frame is compatible with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 communication protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the type of control frame comprises a trigger frame. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transmission by the second electronic device is predicted based at least in part on the electronic device:
 receiving request-to-send (RTS) frame associated with the second electronic device; and   transmitting, in response to receiving the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame for the second electronic device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the operations comprise reverting to the omnidirectional antenna pattern when a time reserved by the trigger frame expires. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic device comprises an access point.